1. Technical Field
The embodiments of the present invention generally relate to seats for passenger vehicles.
2. Background Art
An interior of a vehicle generally includes a plurality of seats positioned throughout the vehicle for forming first, second and in some instances third row seating configurations. The seats in the first row are generally adapted to move on a plurality of seat tracks in fore and aft directions within the vehicle. In some cases, seats in the second and third rows are generally prohibited from moving in a linear direction. Often times, the seats in the second and third rows are adapted to collapse to facilitate ingress or egress for passengers attempting to access seats positioned within the third row seating arrangements. In some cases, the seats in the third row also collapse into a load floor of the vehicle to allow for additional storage to be placed in the vehicle.
The seats in the first, second and third rows are generally coupled to the load floor via a plurality of seat tracks. In some cases, the seats may each include a plurality legs (or stanchions) that are coupled directly to the load floor. The legs generally support a seat bottom of the seat assembly. The use of seat tracks or legs generally occupy valuable packaging space between the seat bottom and the load floor.
Center consoles also occupy valuable packaging space. The center consoles are generally coupled to the load floor and are positioned between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat. Vehicle occupants may store coins, CDs or other such items within the center console. Additionally, gear controls for transmission control may be packaged within the center console for driver manipulation.